Ktownbret

I agree with the comment about relaxing. You look alittle stiff. Pefectly normal when your learning headdown. When you were in close your head did look a little forward. Try to get your chin back, like something smells bad. Also try to get your hips under your torso. Looks like you've got it, you just need to spend some more time there. Looking great on your transisions!!! www.okanaganskydive.com

Right on!!! You guys are going to love that dropzone. Great view of the mountains!!! Tons of awsome freeflyers!!! I just started flying my new cam. Can't wait to put your sexy smile in front of it at 15000 ft!!!! www.okanaganskydive.com

I still have that same issue. I think relaxing, along with the smallest movments with your head and hips will be the key. www.okanaganskydive.com

Rawa, Rawa, Rawa!!! www.okanaganskydive.com

Amen to that!!! I got a bunch of fun jumps during the week, and I'm heading to Vancouver this weekend for coaching. It's definatly coming. I've got it. ...now I just need to tame the wild beast!!! www.okanaganskydive.com

Jumping with people better then you definatly helps. At my dz we dont have any really good freeflyers, just a few peeps who are around my level. We still learn from each other, but i get 10X more from my jumps in Vancouver where there is alot more expieriance. As far as the vids, I think I have seen most of them. Remedy kicks ass. Watched it last week. I think the best flying I have ever seen. It helps to watch them, but its hard to see the little things they are doing. ...and I've definatly been called a lawn dart befor Thanx for the input www.okanaganskydive.com

ya, its surprising how much concentration it takes me to change my body position in any way when head down. It is getting more and more natural on every jump. I already do alot of stretching, but i could see how the abductor machine could help. I have been getting some great coaching and it definatly has helped me. www.okanaganskydive.com

Hey. My advice to you is to really feel good about your sit first. Being stable is not enough. You should be fully mobile. Able to turn, drive, control levels. Also you should be able to do solid front loops, backloops and cartwheels. Your sit is your recouvery possision from your head. Falling down the tube simply means that you are not sliding all over the sky. Which is something you will most likly do when you are first learning headown. After you have your sit under control, make sure you have a really tight set of gear, then let the fun begin. Give your self as much room from other groups as possible, turn 90 degrees from jump run and just go for it. Most people seem to learn by doing a half cartwheel. For me it was a front loop, then after spending more time there the cartwheels came. The correct body possion is knees slightly bent and spread apart, back straight, shoulders slightly dearched, chin back a bit, arms in front with your palms towards your feet, and oh ya TOTALY RELAX!!! Did I miss anything guys? Once you think you are there see if you can practice spilling air from your front, then back, then front and so on. Eventually you will find the sweet spot in the middle. You will know you are there because it will be really quiet. This is neutral, and should send you straight down the pipe. ...from there you should get some coaching. Have fun and play safe. www.okanaganskydive.com

hey Val. I heard a crazy rumer that Jarred was coming to Vancouver to do some orginizing this summer. Is this true? You coming too? Anyone else I know? Love to see you guys!!! www.okanaganskydive.com

sounds like some good stuff. We got rained out yesterday, but today we have sun and I'm going to try to really spread it out and scoop some air with my toes. The daffy still feels really weird for me. Can you elaborate on this little leg kick that your talking about? www.okanaganskydive.com

when I am finding myself out of control seems to be when i tense up. Relaxing really seems to be the key for me. Try making a goal on your next jump just to be as relaxed as you possibly can. I call them my "Zen jumps". ...might help? ...all i have at this point. www.okanaganskydive.com

the beginning of this vid talks alot about backflying first. Personaly I never did, and IMHO I kind of wish i had. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9-4wLOrdIg&mode=related&search= www.okanaganskydive.com

Ok, I'm getting my drive/backslide under control. Still needs to be a little smoother, and slower, but i am getting it figured out. The transisions seem to be getting better, the more time I spend on my head. I've acctually been able to use it as a tool to get down to groups sitflying. The next thing I think I need to learn is how to slow it down. I'm taking right off on sit flyers. My coach told me to keep my arms loose just kind of dangling in front of me, palms towards my feet. He told me I will need to push against the wind with the outsides of my feet. Can anybody add anything else to this? www.okanaganskydive.com

right on. I'll see ya out there. www.okanaganskydive.com

Going to be jumping in Pitt Friday, Saterday and Sunday. Come on out and help me keep that King Air running. www.okanaganskydive.com

No I have some things I need to do around Kelowna this weekend. Next weekend I will be in Pitt for sure. I think need to do some more on my own befor I go for more coaching anyways. I'm going to be starting to fly my camera this weekend too. So I'm probably going to have to spend a few jumps just getting it dialed in. www.okanaganskydive.com

wow, thats some good advice. My arms are definatly realxed. I have them dangelling in front of me, palms towards my feet. I seem to be able to move them around anywhere without effecting my flight much. I"ve tried to spread them out a few times, seemed easy. I think that your comments about slowing down the movments is bang on. I did some coaching this past weekend, and had a very similar close call. After corking to my sit, then transisioning back to head down, I ended up about 100 ft from my coach. I decided in my head that I was going to close the distance. I think I got there in about 2 seconds. Much faster then I had planned. He seen me coming and backslide away(thanx Dave,Dave). I was able to put on the breaks when I was almost there, but slide 20 ft past him. This expierience would of be dangerous if i was out with anyone less then a ninja in the air. I definatly need to slow down this movement to make it safe and usfull. The leg thing makes sence. I'm also using my head to iniciat the movement. The legs are a much smaller surface then the the back. I will try this on saterday. I think the slow is fast theory applies the head down more then any other asspect of skydiving. My close call has definatly gave me more respect for this posision. My new theory is going to be if i get more then about 30 ft from whoever i am flying with I will return to my sit, and get back in the dive, then transision to head down, if i have time of course. ...the leg thing was new too me. Every little bit of info helps. Thanx again to everyone on here!!!!

right on, Thanx. I am starting to be more aware of these things in freefall. It feeling better and better every jump. My last head down solo I just concentrated on the horizen. Getting to move up or down slightly, Its still kind of shaky when I start trying to move it around, but its coming. Starting to be able to turn too. I've got my front loop transisions to were i can do them 9 out of 10 times, but I'm still having a hell of a time trying to cartwheel. www.okanaganskydive.com

My best advice is to learn to fly your slot. If your in the right spot then the docks will just be there. Also do some solo exercises to learn to fly your legs better. Go out by yourself with a pull up cord and get really really wide, then try to pass the pull up back and forth. This will teach you to fly your legs better, and rely less on your arms. The straight on docks will come in time as you learn to fly your legs better. www.okanaganskydive.com

thanx for the advice. I have just started to be aware of the horizen level. I did a couple jumps with some good freeflyers this weekend, and was able to counter my forward drive easily. Still haven't worked on the "dramatic" movements. We're jumping tomorrow, maybe I'll work on it then. I think its time I started trying to learn to slow it down alittle too. We're having a boogy in Kamloops the weekend after next, and Max Cone will be coaching there. Hopfully I'll get a few jumps in with him. What boogy will Dusty Smith be at? Pitt Meadows or Abbotsford? I will be at both of them anyway. www.okanaganskydive.com

Go Crazy!!! Love it !! Great for cold weather. very durable. Looks great!! I Get tons of compliments on it. Built in Alberta. www.okanaganskydive.com

Got some great coaching this weekend. did 4 coached jumps, and a handfull of solos. I discouvered that what i thought was neutral was actually a bit of forward drive. Not ripping all over the sky, but definatly moving forward. I managed to counter this, but it was a little shacky. Still having some trouble with the transisions, but i did manage to pull a few of them off(stills pretty sloppy). Front loops seem to be easyer for me then cartwheels. I think the more time i spend in the position the easier it will be. I think my next solo jumps I will try to just drive back. Hopfully this will help me learn to be neutral. Anybody have any more ideas for solo drills? www.okanaganskydive.com

Ya, Sunday for sure. I was actually thinking of hitting Kamloops on Sat. Dave Dave said he'd help me out. He's the one who told me to bend my legs to straighten out my back. Worked like a charm. I couldn't believe it. Where are you jumping this weekend? www.okanaganskydive.com

Great advice!! I am taking into acount my movements on exit. I am lucky to have a pilot and dz who are giving me the spot and exit order I need to practice this safely. I have been going out last, and have been giving myself a good 12 seconds or more (depending on wind). Even getting my own pass when necasary. having said that I am pretty sure I not moving around too much(maybe on exit). I have been practicing spilling air from one side of my body to the other. I am feeling air on my thighs. I have found that more i bend my legs the more stable I seem to feel. When I do this I can still spill air off either side. I also managed to start and stop a turn. It felt like i was turning on the spot, not orbitting. Pretty hard to be sure though. They are forcasting some sun for Vancouver this weekend, and I have a coach lined up who has agreed to work with me. hopfully get 5 or 6 with him. Thanx for all the help www.okanaganskydive.com

I very well might be back sliding. But, the Ducks in 5? Never!!! I'd put a jump ticket on it!!! I say Canuks in 6. Thats only if the can find a way past Lui. GO CANUKS GO!!!! www.okanaganskydive.com